Gift From The Alpha Quadrant
by SilverHeart09
Summary: It's Kathryn's birthday and the whole crew has forgotten...or have they? Mild J/C, as always


_NO MORE EXAMS!!! So I'm celebrating with a cake!! Kathryn is too, but it's not the end of exams she's celebrating…_

_Disclaimer- Voyager belongs to Paramount and not me, which is very sad. I think they should give them to me as an end of exam present ;)_

Captain Kathryn Janeway stretched out on the sofa in her ready room.

Space was quiet for a change, there were no more aliens opening fire on them, which was nice.

Kathryn looked down at her pad. The week before they'd past another relay station and once again the crew had received letters from home. Kathryn's letter was from her sister Phoebe in Indiana, it read:

_Kathy!! It's so good to finally be able to write to you, you've got no idea how frustrating it is having a sister stuck in the Delta quadrant! Unless it's as frustrating as having a sister in the Alpha quadrant, even though she isn't exactly stuck there, she more lives there really…_

_Anyway, I really should stop writing drabble. I'm so pleased to hear you're well and the ships okay too. Guess what!! I'm pregnant!!! You know that nice Tommy Cooper from down the road?? Well I married him about 6 months ago, and I'm four months pregnant, isn't that great?! If it's a boy I'm going to call him William (after Commander Riker, who says he'll be godfather) and if it's a girl I'm going to call her Kathryn, after a certain special someone…_

_I'm running out of space now so I'll let you get back to whatever it is you're doing, which is probably drinking coffee, you do know you drink way too much don't you?_

_And happy birthday for next week!! See, I haven't forgotten!!! I would send you a present but, well… y'know ;) _

_Anyway, I really hope I'll see you soon, mom says hi but she's writing a separate letter anyway._

_I love you so so much, always._

_Phoebe_

_Xxx_

Kathryn looked up from the letter at the cup of coffee in her hand; trust Phoebe to know exactly what it was she was doing.

_Happy birthday for next week…_

It was now her birthday and it seemed that the entire crew had forgotten.

She re-read her letter. She was glad to hear about her sister's pregnancy. Kathryn knew that Phoebe had always been keen to have children. Kathryn also knew that Phoebe would make a great mother.

She put the letter down and finished her coffee; she was halfway to her desk when her door chimed.

'Come in!' Kathryn called.

Her first officer, Chakotay, walked in, 'ship's status report, captain.' He said, placing said report on her desk.

'By the way,' he added as he turned to go to the door, 'Neelix wanted to see you in the messhall, he needs your opinion on a new blend of coffee, said he wanted to ask the expert.'

'I'll stop by later,' Kathryn responded, tapping away at her desk computer.

Chakotay walked to the front of the desk and leant his arms on it. 'By my estimates,' he said. 'You've been in here for 9 hours; don't you think you deserve a break?'

'I will later,' Kathryn said, seeming engrossed in her work.

Chakotay sighed, 'I don't want to do it captain but if you'll leave me with no other choice…'

Kathryn looked up suspiciously, 'do what?' she asked.

Chakotay looked her straight in the eye. 'I will tell the doctor you're not getting enough rest.' He said evilly.

Kathryn stood up and walked round to the front of her desk. 'Fine,' she said, 'you win.'

The messhall was quiet and the lights were off. 'Why is it so dark in here?' Kathryn asked. 'Computer, lights.' The lights flickered on and half the crew jumped up and yelled, 'SURPRISE!'

Kathryn stared dumbstruck, the entire messhall was decked out in balloons and all the tables and chairs had been pushed back. The crew grinned at her. Kathryn noticed Tom and B'Elanna raising glasses in a mock toast.

'You thought we'd all forgotten, didn't you?' Chakotay said laughing at her startled expression.

Kathryn grinned. 'If you ever do this to me again so help me I'll throw you all in the brig.'

'Oh, I nearly forgot.' Chakotay reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue rectangle. 'We'll be coming in range of a relay station in a few hours,' he said, 'Video link this time, you're first on the list, we've already told Phoebe to expect your call.'

Kathryn took the stick and stared at it, and then flung her arms around Chakotay's neck while the crew cheered.

'_I was so pleased when Starfleet told me to expect your call!' _Phoebe said, grinning at her sister from the viewscreen in the Astrometrics lab.

'It's good to see you too Phoebe,' Kathryn said smiling. Phoebe Janeway, or Phoebe Cooper as she was now, beamed back. Phoebe's light hair was curled into a plait. Her pregnancy was just beginning to show and she was wearing a loose cotton dress. Physically, the only two things which identified them as sisters were the pale skin and determined blue eyes. Kathryn was the scientist, whereas Phoebe was the artist.

'_Happy birthday Kathryn,'_ Phoebe said from the screen, _'I can't believe your crew threw a party for you, was it really that embarrassing?'_

'You've got no idea!' Kathryn said laughing.

The console in front of her beeped. 1 minute of comm time remaining.

'We've only got 60 seconds left,' Kathryn said, 'congratulations on the baby front.'

'_So you did get my letter! Before our time runs out, will you be godmother?' _

'I'd be honoured,' Kathryn said smiling.

Gretchen Janeway walked in through the door then, and the first thing she saw was her eldest daughter's face.

'_Kathryn! Honey! Happy birthday darling._' Gretchen said.

'Thanks mom,' Kathryn said, trying not to cry.

The console beeped again, 30 seconds.

'Half a minute left,' Kathryn told her family. 'I'm so glad you finally married Tommy, Phoebe. We all knew he had it coming.'

Phoebe laughed, _'I only wish you could have seen his face when he found out I was expecting, I thought he'd faint from shock! I'm keeping my surname though; it makes me feel happier, somehow.'_

The console beeped, 10 seconds and counting down.

'I love you,' Kathryn called desperately; 'I hope I'll see you soon!'

'_Keep strong Katie, there's a light in the window for you!' _Gretchen called.

'_Bye Kathy! I love you more!' _Phoebe yelled, and then the screen went dark.

Kathryn stood for a moment, fighting tears. Then she smiled. Her family was alive and well. She was godmother to an unborn child and her sister had married.

Kathryn left the Astrometrics lab and almost walked straight into her first officer.

'Well?' He asked, slipping an arm around her.

Kathryn looked up at him, 'best present ever,' she said happily.

* * *

_Kathryn gets cake, so it's all good! ;) Please review!_

* * *


End file.
